1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide and rail assembly and method of assembling same, and more particularly, to a slide and rail assembly and method for a server chassis mounted in a rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous incidences where a sliding track assembly is used. For example, a sliding track assembly is used for sliding mechanisms for pull out drawers and shelves. Typically, the sliding track assembly includes a slide assembly mounted to a rail assembly. Typically, the rail assembly is mounted in a case, rack, housing or other framed assembly and the slide assembly is attached to the drawer, shelf or other device. The slide assembly cooperates with the rail assembly and provides the extension mechanism for the drawer or shelf.
Typically, the mounting and installation of the slide and rail assembly requires loose hardware and tools. The assembly of the components with several pieces of loose hardware and tools is time consuming, inefficient and requires a substantial amount of organization. The sliding track assemblies are usually used in pairs—a left side and a right side. Frequently, several pairs of sliding track assemblies are used in a single rack or housing. For example, there are racks used to house servers for computer networks. A single rack may utilize fifteen or more pairs of sliding track assemblies. There are numerous other examples of similar requirements for significant quantities of sliding track assemblies. Thus, it is apparent that a significant amount of time and savings would result by simplifying the assembly of the slide and rail assemblies.
It is also important that the slide assembly securely mount to the rail assembly such that the components do not accidentally disengage each other. Thus, it is desirable that the components lock into each other to prevent accidental disengagement. However, it is also desirable that the slide and rail assemblies can be unlocked and disengaged from each other without tools and with a minimum of difficulty.
There is a need for a sliding track assembly having a slide assembly and a rail assembly that can be assembled together easily and conveniently. It is desirable that the assembly require no loose hardware and tools. The sliding track assembly should be secure and the slide and rail assemblies should lock together. Additionally, it is desirable that the slide and rail assembly be simple to install and require little time for the installation. Further, it is desirable that the slide assembly be easily unlocked and disengaged from the rail assembly, if desired.